Debate Arises Over Elderly Man Seeking Guardian for His Cat
Cases of Leaving Inheritance to Pets Increasing Worldwide
An elderly man in China has attracted attention after announcing that he would leave his inheritance to anyone willing to care for his pet cat. On July 3, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that Mr. Long, an 82-year-old resident of Guangdong Province, is searching for a new guardian who will take responsibility for his cat after he passes away. According to SCMP, Mr. Long began living alone without children after losing his wife ten years ago, and in 2022, he adopted a stray cat.
Mr. Long, who has been devotedly caring for his cat, began to worry that, due to his advanced age, he would likely pass away before his cat. He then set out to find someone who would responsibly care for his pet, making a bold offer: "If someone can take good care of my cat, I will leave them my apartment, savings, and all of my inheritance." However, it is reported that he has not yet found anyone who meets his criteria.
Mr. Long's story became a major topic on local social networking services (SNS), sparking a variety of opinions among internet users. One user commented that there may not be any applicants yet because Mr. Long's requirements are too strict. Another user pointed out that even if the elderly man is willing to give his assets to the cat's new guardian, the new guardian could later face inheritance lawsuits from the man's family. Meanwhile, some people have come forward expressing their willingness to adopt Mr. Long's cat without receiving any money. There are also concerns that someone with bad intentions might adopt the cat and then abuse it.
Meanwhile, there has been a global increase in cases where people leave their inheritance to pets rather than to children or relatives after passing away. American billionaire real estate investor Leona Helmsley left $12 million (about 1.61 billion won) to her pet dog when she died in 2007, excluding two of her grandchildren from the inheritance. Karl Lagerfeld, the chief designer of Chanel who passed away in 2020, also left an inheritance of 1.2 million pounds (about 2.1 billion won) to his pet cat, Choupette. However, since some countries have restrictions on leaving inheritances directly to pets, some wealthy individuals establish separate foundations or trust organizations to pass on their assets to their pets. In contrast, ordinary people often choose to find someone to care for their pet in advance and then leave their assets to that person, as the cost of setting up a foundation or trust is prohibitive.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
